Exiled Uighur leader Rebeiya Kadeer speaks at a press conference at her office in Washington on Friday. PHOTO: NADIA TSAO, TAIPEI TIMES

Exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer on Friday accused Taipei of bowing to Beijing’s pressure in refusing to allow her to visit Taiwan and demanded an apology from the President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) administration for linking her and the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) to “terrorists.”

“I am filled with regret, I am very disappointed,” she said during an emotional press conference in her Washington office.